Garcia, Hancock, Jimenez our choices in county races

In the primary races for Doña Ana County Commission, the Sun-News endorses David J. Garcia in District 2; and Wayne Hancock and Roman D. Jimenez in District 4.

With no Republican in the race, the winner of the Democratic primary between Garcia and Ramon J. Gonzalez will represent the south county district.

Garcia has not been the cause of the ongoing strife between the County Commission and county management and the sheriff’s office, but has also not been a voice for change. We believe he has been too accepting of county failures, suggesting to the editorial board that the problem is one of poor public relations.

But Garcia has been a leader in the efforts to boost government infrastructure needed for continued growth around the industrial park and intermodal hub in Santa Teresa. We believe that area represents the best opportunity for economic growth in the county and needs a strong supporter in county government.

Gonzalez, the first mayor of Anthony, expressed a general need for more public involvement in the poorer, rural areas, but did not have a strong vision for what kind of changes he would make if elected.

In District 4, Hancock, the incumbent, will face Isabella Solis and David Bonner in the Democratic primary. Jimenez will face William Jarod Webb in the Republican primary.

Hancock clearly has been in the eye of the storm that has blown through county government. He and Commissioner Billy Garrett have been engaged in a dispute with Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil that has clearly become personal — to the detriment of all.

But we do agree with him that the County Commission needs to have control of the budget, and that spending on the sheriff’s office has increased in the past two years.

Solis, a former official for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been active with the Tierra del Sol Housing Agency and Ocotillo Institute for Social Justice since moving here 10 years ago. She will give Democratic voters a choice for less confrontation, but is aligned with Hancock on most issues. Bonner is making his second run for the office and has promised to look out for poor people if elected.

On the Republican side, Jimenez, a 21-year veteran of the New Mexico State Police, and William Jarod Webb, a farmer and business owner in Hatch, are both making their first run for public office. We believe Jimenez is best prepared at this time.

Webb brings international business experience. He also demonstrated a great deal of expertise regarding the county’s new comprehensive plan and proposed zoning changes, specifically those changes that would impact his farming operation. But in other areas of county government, he was less informed about the current issues and officials.

Jimenez would provide a law enforcement perspective on the commission, something that may help to bridge the current gap. But he brings more to the race than just that. As a former member of the board of trustees for the Public Employees Retirement Association, Jimenez is familiar with large budgets, and the tough decisions that sometimes need to be made in dealing with them. He helped lead passage of legislation to reform the retirement plan and make it more solvent.

Jimenez has also called for structural reforms at the county to provide greater oversight and limit liability to lawsuits. We think he would be the stronger challenger to whoever emerges from the Democratic race.